


“The Night So Black That the Darkness Hummed”

by nickel_1321



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F!Byleth, F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28331505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickel_1321/pseuds/nickel_1321
Summary: Byleth and Hubert talk before the battle of Garreg Mach and Byleth makes Hubert swear that if something goes wrong for him to get Edelgard out of there and that he will do so and leave her behind. Byleth makes it back after the five years, sees Edelgard crying when she pulls back and realizes she loves her. Byleth admits there that she loves Edelgard and wants to get married once the war is over.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	“The Night So Black That the Darkness Hummed”

**Author's Note:**

> Not according to canon, I wanted to go more with if they got together before the end of the war. I hope everyone enjoys it!

Byleth and the Black Eagle Strike Force were preparing for their march on Garreg Mach tomorrow when Byleth had a thought come to her. It made her blood run cold and a shiver ran throughout her body. She needed to talk to Hubert immediately, she found him, luckily alone for once or so she thought. 

“Hubert, I would like to discuss something with you before tomorrow.” Hubert had a confused look upon his face as this was not like the professor.

“Of course. Shall we?” Hubert and Byleth left in the direction of a remote area of camp to discuss whatever it was Byleth needed to so urgently. Edelgard had noticed Byleth approach Hubert which was unordinary so she decided to listen in. When she heard her teacher ask to talk privately with Hubert she was a little shocked. Hubert and Byleth didn’t tend to talk often, not because they didn’t like each other, it was more that they didn’t have much to say to one another. Edelgard was interested in what could be so important that Byleth wanted to talk about. Hubert and Byleth had found some trees to stand behind while Edelgard stayed just out of sight but could still hear the pair talking.

“Hubert, I know this should go without saying but I need you to promise me that if something goes wrong tomorrow to get Edelgard out of there at all costs.” Byleth looked into Hubert’s eyes with determination while he held his ever calm composure. Edelgard was confused as to why Byleth would bring that up in private.

“Of course, I will make sure Her Majesty is safe should things go awry.” 

Before Hubert could say anything else Byleth continued, “Even if something happens to me, get her out of there and leave me behind. Do you understand?” Hubert was shocked at this, it wasn’t like the professor to talk as if something should happen to her. Byleth sounded almost desperate and she was, but she did her best to hide that fact. Edelgard’s blood ran cold and her eyes widened, she didn’t want to think about something happening to ~~Byleth~~ , her **_teacher_ **, and her fleeing. Edelgard almost spoke out in protest but stopped herself as she didn’t want them to know she had been watching. 

Hubert was silent for a few moments before answering, “I will, I promise to get her to safety… For both of our sakes.” Hubert was aware that Edelgard had feelings for their professor and had suspected for a little while now that the feelings were mutual. This almost confirmed his suspicions, though he wasn’t fully convinced yet. 

“Thank you.” Byleth seemed almost relieved when Hubert made this promise. He nodded and they returned to camp to finish preparing for tomorrow. Edelgard still hadn’t moved, she felt frozen in place.

“ _Why did she ask that of Hubert? She sounded as though she had some kind of intuition that something was going to go wrong. I know I need to achieve my goal but… I can’t do it without_ **_her_ ** _…_ ’ Edelgard let her thoughts run for a little while longer before returning to camp herself to make sure neither of them knew she had followed them, and also to help the others before tomorrow's battle.

There she was, Rhea as the Immaculate One. Rhea began to demolish much of the surrounding area and Byleth knew that the time had come.

She whipped her head in Hubert’s direction, “Hubert! Now! Fulfill the promise you made me!” Byleth could see the momentary hesitation in Hubert’s eyes but he closed them in resolve. Byleth managed to look at Edelgard’s wide and terrified eyes before Hubert had warped over to her.

“NO! My teacher-!”

“I believe in you,” Byleth managed to say to Edelgard with a smile before turning to face Rhea. Edelgard could see Byleth’s smile upon her lips before she went to face Rhea alone. When Edelgard had blinked she was outside the monastery grounds with Hubert and no professor. She stared into the grass for what felt like forever while Hubert managed to get the troops to take whatever ground they could. Edelgard was in a daze for hours before she finally snapped out of her stupor to go search for her teacher. 

Edelgard had gotten to where the Professor was last seen but there was nothing. Edelgard looked under debris and everything but there was just… nothing. Edelgard couldn’t believe it, as quickly as her teacher came into her life and changed it, she left just as quickly. Her teacher was gone, there was no body, but she was just gone. Edelgard continued searching until Hubert finally managed to pull her exhausted body away and back to camp. 

Edelgard didn’t get any sleep that night, she kept replaying the last moments over and over again in her head. Her teacher saying that she believed in her and that sad smile upon her lips. Edelgard knew she loved her teacher but she never had the courage to say anything. She hated herself for it now, because she was gone and Edelgard would never get the chance to tell her. 

Edelgard would be tormented by those final moments for years to come. She never slept well anymore and was a broken shell of the woman she used to be. Her teacher was gone even though she searched still. Edelgard still hoped for her return one day as they never found a body even though the odds of this were unlikely. 

5 years is an extremely long time to be broken. Edelgard did what she could to hide the fact but it takes its toll. Today was the Millennium Festival, or it would have been if not for the war. It was twilight and Edelgard made her way to the Goddess Tower with that small sliver of ridiculous hope in her heart that her teacher would keep the promise Edelgard had thrown out on a whim years ago. 

Byleth awoke and after having been told that 5 years had passed she began running as much as her broken and beat up body would allow. She passed the Garreg Mach doors and somehow managed to go undetected by any of the other inhabitants inside. Byleth wanted so badly to see the woman she hadn’t seen in 5 years. She hoped with everything that she had, that Edelgard would be keeping that promise she made so many years ago. Byleth took the stairs 2 at a time even in her heels to try and get to the top faster. She turned on her heels at the top to see the back of the women she so desperately wanted to see.

Edelgard.

“Edelgard…” Byleth breathed out as she finally saw her. Edelgard turned around to see who the intruder was.

“My… teacher?” Edelgard could feel all the pain, all the sorrow, and all the love swell within her. “Where have you been?!” Edelgard could feel the lump forming in her throat and was doing all that she could to keep it down. She almost felt as though she were in another of her dreams where she finally reunites with her teacher, but she was awake. 

“I- I was taking a nap.” Byleth says nervously but earnestly. Edelgard chuckles a bit, believing Byleth to be joking even though she wasn’t. 

“Joking? At a time like this? You realize you’ve been missing for 5 years! Do you have any idea how guilty I felt?! How broken my heart was?!” Edelgard could no longer hold down the lump in her throat. Byleth’s heart broke at the girl’s words and felt so guilty for what she had put the poor woman through.

“I’m so sor-” Byleth didn’t get her sentence out before Edelgard enveloped her in a hug.

“I’m so glad you’re back.” Edelgard put her head in the crook of Byleth’s neck. Byleth’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson. “I missed you…” Byleth felt her heart break a little more, but she was finally coming to understand what Edelgard meant to her especially once Edelgard pulled away. Edelgard pulled away and there were traces of tears down her cheeks and that’s when Byleth knew. Edelgard saw in Byleth’s eyes as the pieces fell into place. Byleth understood now what Edelgard meant to her, she meant everything. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to make her smile, to make her laugh, to just make her happy. She loved her.

Before Edelgard could ask what was wrong, Byleth spoke up, “Edelgard, I- There’s something I need to tell you.” Edelgard’s heart sank at this, she thought her teacher was going to tell her she no longer wished to walk this path with her.

Byleth took a deep breath before beginning, “I love you, Edelgard. I chose to walk this path with you because I believe in you and I want to help you achieve your goal. More than anything though, I just want you to be happy, I want to make you happy. I realize this is terribly sudden, but I needed to tell you this.” Edelgard stared at her in stunned silence. She was almost positive she was dreaming now. It was several moments before Edelgard could get her mouth to work.

“I-You? Do you truly mean that my teacher?” Edelgard’s eyes began to fill with hope and love. Byleth was still extremely nervous, she thought maybe Edelgard would hate her for this.

“I do.” Byleth said with no hesitation in her voice. Edelgard’s heart swelled with love and she took Byleth into a bone crushing embrace. 

“I love you too. I never thought you would return my feelings. I’m so thankful to have had you by my side and you have always been my light in the darkness. You make me happier than anyone ever has, I want you to be there every step of the way.” Edelgard was glad they were hugging so that Byleth couldn’t see her face. Byleth pulled away with the biggest smile Edelgard had ever seen the other woman make. Byleth pulled a satchel from her coat much to the confusion of Edelgard. It was only after Byleth pulled out what was inside did Edelgard begin to tear up.

“Edelgard, I want to spend the rest of my life with you after the war. If you would like the same, I want to give you this ring. I want nothing more than to be given the privilege of loving you and making you happy.” Edelgard put a hand over her mouth as the tears fell. Edelgard nodded her head profusely and hugged ~~her teacher~~ , **_Byleth,_ ** so tight she could have broken her in half. 

“Yes, I want that as well. I want to be able to love you and watch the new world flourish that we are carving. I want to spend the rest of my life with you Byleth, I would love to marry you after the war is over.” Edelgard couldn’t stop the joyous tears from streaming down her face.

Byleth slid the ring over Edelgard's finger and Edelgard swore to herself that she’d never take it off. 

“I would like you to call me El. It was a nickname that my family used with me, now there is no one who calls me by that name. It would mean a great deal to me if you would.” Edelgard was looking into Byleth’s warm, loving eyes which is something she never thought she would see.

“In that case, I would like you to call me Byleth. While for a time I was your teacher, you should call me by my name if I am to be your wife.” Edelgard smiled at that and loved that she was going to be able to call her something more personal.

“I think Byleth is much lovelier anyway.” Byleth had a blush dusting her cheeks that El saw form clear as day and was grateful that she was the one that got to see her like this. El had a slight moment of panic when Byleth began to lean down and closed her eyes but it quickly dissipated as she mimicked the gesture. The kiss was nothing like El had imagine but it was so much more than she had imagined too. It felt as though her whole body did a somersault and relaxed at the same time. She could feel her beloved’s lips against hers and could feel the love too. She let her lips press further upon Byleth’s as Byleth did the same. They parted looking at each other with surprise, and passion. El knew she would never be alone again and nothing could make her happier. 

“We should probably tell the other’s of your return.” El reminded Byleth that she still had in fact been gone for five years.

“What about the other news El?” Byleth said with a slight smirk. El blushed red at the thought of the others finding out she was engaged now. Having regained her composure she took Byleth’s hand and began leading her down the stairs.

“That to my love, that too.”


End file.
